Jamaat-e-Islami chief slates Amartya Sen for ‘defending tyranny’

‘There is no need to lecture Bangladesh on tolerance,’ says Shafiqur Rahman

Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shafiqur Rahman has launched a scathing attack on Indian Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen over his remarks expressing concern about Bangladesh’s current situation.

In a Facebook post on Monday, Shafiqur wrote: “For over 15 years, the people of Bangladesh have witnessed extreme hypocrisy in the name of secularism. He is openly advocating for a fallen autocrat, which is shocking, unacceptable, and condemnable.”

In an interview with Indian news agency Press Trust of India, or PTI, Sen voiced "deep concern" over Bangladesh’s ongoing crisis.

Referring to Muhammad Yunus as his friend, he said the chief advisor would have to "go a long way" to resolve the existing impasse.

Reacting to these remarks, Jamaat’s chief said: “Amartya Sen has recently made unwarranted comments interfering in Bangladesh’s internal affairs.

“I do not know where his conscience is. There is no need to lecture Bangladesh on tolerance. Instead, he should look at himself in the mirror of the society he lives in.”

In the interview, Sen cautioned against banning the Awami League, arguing that such a move would repeat the same mistakes that other parties had accused the Awami government of making.

He strongly condemned attacks on Hindu minorities and the vandalisation of temples, highlighting that it was the responsibility of both the government and the members of the public to prevent such violence.

He said, “Bangladesh has historically been tolerant towards minorities and has kept communal forces like Jamaat under control. Unfortunately, attacks on mosques have occurred even in India. Such incidents, whether in Bangladesh or India, must be stopped.”

In response, Shafiqur said: “His remarks about Jamaat-e-Islami stem from deep-seated bias. The reality is completely different.”

He added, “The Awami League is the real ‘monster’ responsible for persecuting the brothers and sisters he identifies as minorities. If he has the courage, he should say that. But he won’t—because he is a limited, so-called intellectual.

“The patriotic people of Bangladesh do not appreciate foreign interference in the country’s internal matters.”